Conflict of Interest

Arts Nova Scotia recognizes the importance of addressing issues of conflict of interest, both real and perceived, that may arise in all aspects of the agency’s operations at the level of the board, staff, and through the peer assessment processes.

Conflict of Interest Guidelines for Peer Assessors

Conflict of interest occurs when a member of a peer assessment committee reviews a grant application from an employer, a client, or an organization where they are a board member; where they have a direct financial interest in the success or failure of an application or nomination; where the applicant or nominee is their spouse/partner, or immediate family member. Conflict of interest may exist whether or not an individual has received personal or material gain. It includes both actual and perceived conflicts.

If a peer assessor is associated with an application in any way as described above he/she shall disclose his/her interest, refrain from attempting to influence the decision, and not participate in the discussion or scoring.

All efforts are made to avoid assessors who may have a conflict of interest in the selection process. All assessors are required to declare a conflict of interest at the beginning of any peer assessment committee meeting.